Refrigerator.



Patented Sept. l6, I902.

N. BOSMANN.

REFRIGERATOR. (Application filed Nov. 29, 1801.)

(No Moduli.)

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N. BOSMANN.

REFRIGERATOR.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1901.)

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2Shaets-Sheet 2.

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'U'NiTEn STATES PATENT Orricn.

NICOLAS BOSMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD S.SLOCUM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,992, datedSeptember 16, 1902.

Applicatioh filed November 29, 1901. Serial No. 83,977. (No model.)

To all whom it intty concern.-

Be it known that I, NICOLAS BOSMANN, a. citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved refrigerator orice-box, adapted also to serveas a water-filter and having a greaterefficiency in proportion to the amount of'ice employed than formerconstructions.

It consists in the novel features of construction by which it is:adapted to serve as a water-filter, and novel means for insulating itfrom exterior warmth and in other details of construction, which are setout in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation' of my improvedrefrigerator. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical section at the line 4: 4 on Fig. 3. Fig.5 is ahorizontal see- I tion at the line 5 5 on Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is adetail vertical section at the line 6 6 on Fig. 2.

My improved ice-box or refrigerator comprises an outer inclosing wall A,which is interiorly plaster-coated, such plaster coating being generallyindicated by the letter B, but having specific features otherwisespecifically noted, as hereinafter described. This outer inclosing wallis further interiorly metal-lined 1hroughout,themetal lining beingdenoted generally by the letter C, with specific features otherwisespecifically denoted. The upper part of the space inclosed is designedfor an ice-chamber, and the inclosing wall is provided with a top dooror cover '1, whose detail construction will be hereinafter moreparticularly described. Within the inclosing wall there is located aprovision-chamber, which is preferably made of sheet metal. This chamberis spaced at the sides and bottom from the inner surface of the outerinclosing wall-that is, from the metal lining of said inclosing wall-itsposition being rendered definite and secure by the flanging of the metalaround the dooropening made intoit, so as to cause the flanges to reachthrough the door-opening in the outerinclosing wall,ashereinafterexplained, and in addition spacing-strips F F F, &c., lodgedupon the bottom of the metal lining of the outer casing, support saidinner cham' ber positively in proper position. The upper side of theprovision-chamber E is preferably cylindrically curved from side to sideto prevent water of condensation from dripping from it onto the contentsand to cause such water to flow over to the sides and down the latter tothe bottom, where provision is made by means of a drain-pipe G for theescape of such water condensation through the trap G, which prevents theentrance of exterior air by way of the pipe into the chamber. The entirespace between the metal lining of the outer casing and the interiorprovision-chamber E is filled at the bottom with fine sand H H, which,in addition to the spacing strips F, affords support for thechamber,while the spacing-strips prevent the sand from being packed orshifted by the weight of the chamber. The remaining space around thesides of the provision-chamber between the same and the metal liningofthe outer casing or inclosing wall is filled with alternate layers ofgravel H and sand H or any suitable filtering material, such aspulverized charcoal and the like, the alternate layers being preferablycoarse and fine, as indicated in the drawings. This filtering materialnot only occupies the interspace around the sides, front, and rear,(except where the door intervenes,) but also is extended up over thecurved top of the chamber E and may occupy a further space above thehighest point of said chamber, completely inclosing the latter at thetop, and be brought to a level surface above said chamber, constitutingthe floor of the ice-chamber,though whenever preferred for any purpose arack J may be lodged on or embedded in such sand fioor or otherwisesupportcdin the ice-chamber, as by means of brackets jj, to take theweight of the ice off the sand floor. I have found,

however, that the efficiency of the device in proportion to the amountof ice employed is greater when the ice rests directly upon the sandfloor provided by the filtering material. For the purpose of ventilatingthe provisionchatnbera flue or ventilating-pipe E extends upward from itthrough the ice-chamber to a point which is designed to be above thelevel of theice therein or above the possible level of any accumulationof water therein and is provided with a regulating valve or damper E atthe low end,accessible within the chamber. The water of liquefactionfrom the ice drains through the filtering material around theprovision-chamber E, and in the said filtering material are embeddedpipes K K, which are extended horizontally under the provisionchamberand are open at some portion of their said horizontal extent. The mereend opening will usually be sufficient. These pipes extend up atone sideof the provisionchamber and discharge into the water-receptacle L,embedded in the filtering sand or gravel above the provision-chamber, asbest seen in Fig. a. From this water-chamber a discharge pipe L isextended outward through all the walls and provided with an exteriorfaucet L through which the filtered water of liquefaction derived fromthe ice may be drawn ofif for'use. It will be noticed that thisconstruction causes the filtering material to be saturated with thewater of liquefaction after enough ice is meltedto thus saturateit, andthe chamber E is therefore at all times inc'losed in the water-saturated sand and gravel, which is approximately at the meltingtemperature, all the water which comes from the ice passing eventuallyto the bottom, because its only escape is from the bottom upward throughthe pipes. Since it may for some purposes be desirable occasionally tokeep the upper portion of the sand comparatively dry, I provide anadditional drainage-pipe M, which extends under the provision-chain herin the same manner as the pipes K K and up along one side, but emergesthrough the walls at a lower point than the water-chamber L. The faucetN during the discharge from this pipe may be left open whenever it isdesired to maintain the water-level lower than the water-chamber. Forthe purpose of flushing out the filtering material when it is necessaryto cleanse it and renew it I provide a fl nshing dischargenipple O atone lower corner, suit-ably capped at the exterior end. By nncappingthis nipple and discharging-a flushing supplyof water into the top ofthe refrigerator the sand and gravel or other filtering material may bewashed out, and new material maybe carried in by a moderate flow ofwater after recapping the nipple, the use of such moderate water-supplybeing to evenly distribute the filtering material over the bottom and inlayers at the sides, as desired.

Certain details of constructit'm are considered important. These willnow be described.

The plaster coating on the inner surface of the outer wall should befrom one to two inches thick, and for the purpose of holding it securelyon the wall I drive nails I) 1) into the latter at enough points to givefirm attachment to the plaster, which is afterward applied to the wall.In making large refrigerators it may be found more convenient to applythe plaster to the several walls before they are assembled in thecompleted box, and for the purpose of facilitating assembling and firmlyuniting the several walls I secure to them horizontal tie rods or boltsB B using staples b for that purpose, before the plaster is applied, sothat these rods are embedded in the plaster, their ends only protruding,as may be necessary for the purpose of effecting the junctions for whichthey are intended at the corners, where the planks of the inclosingwalls A are joined together in any secure and workmanlike tnanner. Whenthis method of plastering the walls beforethey are assembled in the boxis employed, I prefer to leave a small portion at the margins of thewalls where they are to be joined uncovered, so that when they areassembled there shall be a cavity extending along each angle of the box,said cavities thus running into each other at the corners of the box, asseen at a in Fig. 5, where theplaster filling is omitted for the purposeof showing the cavity. When the box is assetnbled, I pour liquidplastcr-of-paris into these corner-cavities, causing them all to befilled with one continuous mass of plaster, which also joins itselfintegrally-into the adjacent rough edges of the plaster coatingpreviously applied, so that when thus completed the plaster coating isintegral throughout and besides has filled all the fine crevices in theangles and corner-joints, curing any air-leaks which might otherwiseexist at such joints. The metal lining 0, applied inside the plastercoating is made continuous,the corners and angles being soldered up beforeit is inserted into the box within the plaster coating. At the top andaround the door-opening this lining is folded inward as flanges O and Cabout the edges, respectively, of the openings through the outerinclosing wall, which form stops for the cover and door, respectively.It will be understood, of course, that the metal IIO lining is aperturedfor pipes which lead out through it, suitably-soldered joints being madeat the junctions of such pipes with the lining. At the opening for thetop cover a molding A is employed, forming the marginal edge of theopening and stop for the cover, and the flange C of the metal lining iswrapped about this molding, as seen in Fig. 4, the edge of the enwrapping flange being on the inner side of the molding. The edges of theopenings for the door S and cover T which form the stops for these partsare beveled outwardly, as seen in Figs. 4 and 6, and said door andcover, the inner su rfaces of which are provided with a plaster coat andan inner metallic lining like the rest of the wall of the box, areformed at their edges, which are to seat on the stop edges of theopenings, in a manner which will now be described. The outer board V isformed with square edges fitting the opening in the molding A, whichforms the margin of the aperture. Inside of this outer boardV there issecured a heavier planking V, Whose dimensions as to the surface next tothe outer board are less than the corresponding dimensions of saidboard, so that there is left all around the plank an angular space, andsaid planking is inwardly beveled at the edge at an angle correspondingsubstantially to the bevel of the stop edge of the opening. Onto the innersurface of this planking V marginal molding-strips V are applied,whose edges slightly overhang the angular space formed between the outerboard V and the planking V, as seen in Fig. 4 and Fig. 6, the edge ofthe molding-strip, however, not protruding so far beyond the inner edgeof the planking as do the edges of the outer board beyond the outeredges of the planking.

B is a strip of canvas or a like material tacked onto the edge of theouter board V, the width extendingacross the cavity formed between itandthe beveled planking, the inner edge of the canvas being tacked ontothe inner surface of the molding-strip V. The space thus inclosed by thecanvas is stuffed with hair or other like material adapted to produce ayielding cushion, such cushion thereby being formed extending all aroundthe beveled periphery of the door or cover. The normal condition of thecushion when thus stufied is somewhat convex outward, so

. that when the door or cover is hinged to one edge of the opening andswunginward to close the latter the bulging surface of the cushionstrikes the bevel of the stop edge before the door is entirely closed,and when sufficient pressure is applied to complete the closing thecushion is crowded into all the corners of the opening and eftectsathoroughly-tight closure. I prefer to make the cushion sufficientlyfirm-that is, to stuff it so hard that considerable force shall benecessary to close the door or cover, andin order that it may be thusclosed without too great effort I provide a latch especially adapted tooperate in handling to force the door or cover perfectly home to thebeveled seat of the molding A This latch W, pivoted to the door, isprovided with a wearing-plate W, also secured to the door, which servesalso as the base-plate for the handle W by which the door may beoperated in opening it. On the door-casing there is a hook W whose upperend is curved outward, as seen in Fig. 2, and both this hook and thelatch are somewhat elastic, so that when the door is closed far enoughto bring the cushion in contact with the seat, but not to seat themtightly, the latch being swung down behind the hook and becoming engagedbehind its outer curved end retains the door closed, and by being pusheddown farther past the curved end into position shown in Fig. 1 saidcurved end operates as a cam, and the door is thereby crowded tightlyinto its seat.

I claim-- 1. A refrigerator, comprising outer inclosin g walls aninterior provision-chamber havingits walls spaced from the outerinclosing walls; an ice-chamber within the inclosing walls above theprovision-chamber, having its drainage into the interspace; a pipeleading from the bottom of the interspace opening therein to receive thefiltered water, and extending upward in the lateral .interspace, awater-chamber into which such pipe discharges; and a controlleddischarge for such water-chamber.

2. A refrigerator comprising outer inclosing walls; an interiorprovision-chamberhaving its walls spaced from the outerinclosing walls;an ice-chamber within the inclosing walls above the provision-chamber,having its drainage into the interspace, said interspace being occupiedwith filtering material; a pipe leading from the bottom of theinterspace embedded in said filtering material, and opening therein toreceive the filtered water, and extending upward in the lateralinterspace; a water-chamber into which such pipe discharges; and acontrolled discharge for such water-chamber.

3. A refrigerator, comprising an enter inclosing wall; an interiorprovision-chamber having its walls spaced from the outer inclosing wall;filtering material occupying the interspace between the walls, andcovering the interior chamber, said outer wall being extended upwardabove the provision-chamber to form a chamber for ice to be lodged uponthe top of the filtering material, whereby the water of liquefactionfrom the ice filters downward about the provision-chamber; and asuitable discharge for the water of liquefaction at an elevated point;whereby the filtering material is saturated with the water.

4. A refrigerator comprising an enter inclosing wall; a metallic lininginterior to such wall spaced therefrom; a plaster coating 00- cupyin gthe interspace between the outer wall and the metallic lining; aninterior chamber having its walls spaced from the metallic lining;filtering material occupying the interspace; an ice-receptacle above theprovisionchamber within the metallic lining, having its drainage intothe interspace between the metallic lining and the provision-chamber;and means for permitting the discharge of the water of liquefaction fromthe upper part of the interspace whereby the filtering material in suchspace may be kept saturated with the water of liquefaction.

5. A refrigerator, comprising outer inclosing walls, an interiorprovision-chamber having its walls spaced from the outer inclosingwalls, an ice-chamber within the inclosing walls above theprovision-chamber, means for forming, air communication between the iceand provision chambers, the ice-chamberhaving its drainage into theinterspace, a pipe leading from the bottom of the interspace openingtherein to receive the filtered water, and extending upward in thelateral interspace, a Water-chamber into Which such pipe discharges, anda con trolled discharge for said Water-chamber.

A refrigerator, comprising outer inclosing Walls, an interior plastercoating for said Walls, and a metal casing or lining adjacent to theplaster coating, an interior provisionchamber having its Walls spacedfrom the outer inclosing Walls, an ice-chamber Within theinclosing wallsabove the provision-chamber, the ice-chamber having its drainage intothe interspace, a pipe leading from the bottom of the interspace openingtherein to receive the filtered Water, and extending upward in thelateral interspace, a Watencharnher into which such pipe discharges, anda controlled discharge for said Water-chamber.

7. A refrigerator, comprising outer inclosing Walls having an interiorplaster coating, a metal lining adjacent to said coating, an interiorprovision chamber having its Walls spaced from said outer Walls, afiltering material arranged in said interspace, an ice chamber Withinthe inclosing Walls above the provision-chamber, air-tight-fitting doorsor covers for the ice and provision chambers, the said ice-chamberhaving its drainage into the interspace, a pipe leading from the bottomof the inter-space opening therein to receive the filtered Water, andextending upward in the lateral interspace, a Water-chamher into whichsuch pipe discharges, a controlled discharge for said Water-chamber, anda flushing-pipe for cleaning the filtering material when desired.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twoWitnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this'9th day of November, A. D. 1901.

NICOLAS BOSMANN.

In presence of CHAS. S. BURTON, HAROLD WARNER.

